Friday, January 14, 2011

Hogwarts Tofu with Roasted Vegetables

Sorry for the delay in posting the last Harry Potter Party recipe. Getting ready for the beginning of a new term always takes more time than I think. So, the idea behind this recipe to create a "meat and potatoes" type of dish, the kind of thing Rowling always has Ron stuffing his face with, rendering his speech incomprehensible. As such, it had to have mashed potatoes as well as gravy, and a good dose of root vegetables. The end result was a total success: the texture of the tofu combined with the sweetness of the roasted vegetables and the creaminess of the mashed potatoes, all complemented by the earthiness of the sage. I will be making this one again even if I am not throwing the kids another Harry Potter Party.

METHODPreheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.1. Drizzle olive oil over cut veggies (except garlic) and toss well with salt and pepper. Wrap garlic in foil and place on the pan. Roast veggies for 30-25 mins (flipping half way through), until tender but not mushy. Make sure they still have some bite. Toss with the herbs, then remove from pan to cool. NOTE: the garlic will only take about 15 mins (depending one the size of your cloves). Remove it from the oven, unwrap, and set aside and cool.2. While veggies are cooking, peel potatoes and cook them to make mashed potatoes. Peel garlic and chop, then mash with the potatoes. Whip in margarine and soy milk until very smooth. Season to taste, then let potatoes cool a bit.3. Season sliced tofu with salt and pepper then fry for 2-3 mins per side in a thin layer of margarine over med-hi heat until golden.4. Make the gravy: melt margarine over medium heat, then stir in flour. Cook for 30 seconds, then slowly whisk in milk (start with one cup). Add soy sauce and sage, and season to taste (I like a really sagey gravy). Bring to bubbling, whisking constantly. Add more soy milk if you want a thinner gravy.5. Transfer potatoes to a piping bag fitted with an open star tip. Using the same baking sheet you roasted the veggies on, start with a piece of tofu, press veggies into a 1/3 cup and top tofu, then pipe 6 mashed potato towers on top. Repeat with remaining tofu and veggies. Return pan back to the 450 degree oven for about 5-7 mins to reheat and allow the potatoes to get a little golden. Serve with gravy.